In brief
As renewable sources grow, the demand for electricity increases, causing fossil fuel reliance to hit an all-time high.
More than 40 percent of the world’s electricity is now generated without burning fossil fuels, according to a new report from Ember, a global energy think-tank. However, despite this milestone, carbon dioxide emissions have reached a record high, largely due to increased demand for electricity driven by extreme heat conditions. Solar energy is emerging as the fastest-growing source of electricity, with its output doubling every three years since 2012. “Solar power has become the engine of the global energy transition,” noted Phil Macdonald, Ember’s managing director. The report highlighted that over half of the growth in solar energy for 2024 occurred in China, while India's solar production also surged, doubling between 2023 and 2024.Despite rapid advancements, solar energy accounts for approximately 7% of the global electricity mix, akin to the power consumption of all of India. Wind energy contributes slightly more than 8%, and hydropower remains the top clean energy source at 14%. Both hydroelectric and nuclear energy are growing at a slower pace compared to solar and wind.Ember's report reveals that clean energy sources provided over 40% of global electricity generation for the first time since the 1940s, a historic threshold. During that era, demand was significantly lesser, with hydropower being the major contributor. Nevertheless, the overall global demand for electricity has outstripped renewable energy’s growth, which explains why greenhouse gas emissions have not started to decline yet. The report states that global electricity demand increased by 4% in 2024, largely attributed to higher usage of air conditioning during a particularly hot year. Consequently, fossil fuel generation has also seen a rise, with coal providing 34% and gas 22% of the output.In recent years, rapidly developing economies in Asia, especially China and India, have consistently ramped up their use of fossil fuels to meet their escalating electricity demands. This ongoing trend raises questions about the balance between increasing clean energy production and addressing the persistent growth in carbon emissions worldwide.
